Corsair TX650M 650W 80+ Gold PSU Review

Conclusion  

Corsair’s TM-X series is designed to bring 80+ efficiency levels to lower price points by cutting back where they can while delivering where it matters. For this series, the clear cutback is in its semi-modular design. That said, semi-modularity isn’t much of a sacrifice when the only two non-modular cables are a 24-pin motherboard connector and a 4+4-pin EPS connector. Every modern PC needs these two connectors, making their lack of modularity a non-factor for most systems. 

With a new external aesthetic, a new fan design and new features like Modern Standby support, there are many little things to like about the new TX-M series over its predecessors. That said, It is hard to get overly enthusiastic about these units. They aren’t exactly breaking new ground, but then again, does that matter? 

At the end of the day, Corsair’s new TX650M power supply delivered everything it promised. The unit was quiet under load, features its promised efficiency levels, and was able to give us lower levels of voltage ripple than many more premium power supplies. We shouldn’t be asking for more than that, not from a budget-oriented PSU design. 

With a 5-year warranty, Corsair’s TX-M series has been given strong backing from a major PC supplier. Corsair isn’t a no-name brand that will likely be bankrupt before this warranty period is over, which means that this PSU’s warranty should be honoured if you run into any issues. While some PSUs do offer longer warranty periods, those PSUs often ship at a higher price. Don’t expect a premium warranty from an entry-level 80+ Gold PSU. 

Even today, 80+ Gold level efficiency is an admirable performance standard. With their latest units, Corsair has been running their PSUs through the  Cybenetics testing regime, testing the power efficiency and noise production to gain an official performance rating beyond the industry-standard 80+ efficiency rating. Cybenetics hopes to supplant today’s 80+ power supply efficiency standards with a more arduous testing regimen, covering noise levels, efficiency and more. Cybenetics have validated Corsair’s TX-M series performance claims, challenging their competitors to put their units through the same testing procedure. In time, we expect more power supply manufacturers to start testing their units with Cybenetics. 

If you can afford it, our recommendation to most system builders is that they invest in a high-quality power supply that’s quiet. One of the benefits of 80+ Gold efficient power supplies (aside from their efficiency) is that they do not produce much heat. Higher efficiency levels lower energy waste, and lower waste means less heat and, in turn, lower cooling requirements. You don’t need to worry about PSU cooling when your PSU barely produces any heat. There is also a reason why there aren’t many 1000W+ PSUs that aren’t 80+ Gold Rated or better. 

Corsair’s new TX-M series power supplies have not wowed us, but that isn’t a bad thing. It is positive to see that Corsair has created lower-cost 80+ rated power supplies without any real compromised. Corsair’s ripple performance remains stellar, and its efficiency levels are as advertised. With their TX650M, Corsair has delivered everything they promised us, and we honestly couldn’t ask for anything more than that. 

Being pedantic, we would have liked to have seen all cables for this PSU match. That said, modern cases with their PSU shrouds and ample room for cable management makes this a non-issue for most PC builders. It is nice to see Corsair update the design language of its TX-M series units, but again, this is practically a non-factor in the era of commonly available cases with PSU shrouds. 

Corsair’s new TX650M power supply has our seal of approval. It does everything that you’d want from a power supply without breaking the bank. If you can’t afford the fully modular RMx series, Corsair’s TM-X series delivers similar performance levels with lower pricing and few compromises. The TM-X series is solid, and while it offers minimal thrills, we have seen many premium PSUs deliver worse results on our PSU tester.

Corsair’s TX650M has received the OC3D Approved Award.  
 

Corsair’s TM-X series PSUs are currently available to purchase from Amazon (Affiliate Link).  

You can join the discussion on our Corsair TX650M 650W 80+ Gold Power Supply Review on the OC3D Forums.